Battle of the Alliances
by Brianna Reiss
Summary: In an online gaming network called VATSIM, Virtual SkyTeam declares war to Virtual OneWorld.  Virtual OneWorld set out to defeat the enemy that plagues the ATC servers. How will Virtual OneWorld restore peace to the network?
1. Chapter 1: Initial Shootdown

**Chapter 1: Initial Shootdown  
**

Over North Atlantic airspace, there is a bunch of faux pilots flying with callsigns belonging to major VAs (virtual airlines) whose real-world counterparts are all members of the Three Major Alliances (Star Alliance, SkyTeam, OneWorld), as well as non-aligned virtual airlines, in a network known to many as VATSIM, the Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network. All pilots own a copy of either Flight Simulator or X-Plane, or else their interfaces with the network don't work.

A Flight Service Station is basically an air traffic control (ATC) station which covers large expanses of airspace without towered airports, most often encountered in oceanic environments, such as the Atlantic Ocean. With the Shanwick Oceanic FSS (Flight Service Station) staffed...

**Curtis**: Shanwick Radio, DAL (Delta) 124 reporting.

**Alec**: DAL124, Shanwick Radio, go ahead.

**Curtis**: "DAL124 is position 57N40W at 17:15 Zulu, FL370 (Flight Level 370). Estimating 58N35W at 17:47 Zulu, 57N30W next. Mach point 84, ground speed 470. Over.

**Alec**: DAL124, copy position.

Flight levels are used in combinaton with zulu time in position reports, but most of the time their use is completely different one from the other. Flight levels are in use when an aircraft is higher than an altitude called the transition altitude, which differs from a country to another. When an aircraft reaches that altitude, it must set its altimeter to 29.92 inches of mercury, and altitude is noted in flight levels,obtained by dividing the altitude by 100. Zulu time, in contrast, is the universal time used in aviation and corresponds to the time in Greenwich, U.K. when no daylight-saving time is in use in said location. However, when DST is in use in the United Kingdom, the zulu time is equal to the time in Greenwich minus one hour.

The TCAS (Traffic Crew Alert System) itself is only the pilot side of the traffic radars used by controllers. They allow pilots to detect traffic with varying ranges, depending on range settings. However, at the same time, Norberto, who is flying KORD-LIRF as AAL (American) 476 at this time, gets a TCAS warning with air-to-air missiles coming his way. He doesn't know a thing about defending himself against Sidewinders or other such things, he can't just take the risk of crashing his aircraft to the sea because of crazy maneuvers.

Norberto: Panpan, panpan, panpan, this is AAL476, AAL476, AAL476. I got missiles after me! I am about to be shot down!

**Alec**: AAL476, send your report.

**Norberto**: AAL476 is position 57N40W at 17:18 Zulu, FL390. Estimating 58N35W at 17:49 Zulu, 58N30W next. Mach point 86, ground speed 490. Over.

SquawkBox itself is a software used by pilots to act as their interface with the network and with the controllers in their makeshift control towers. Over SquawkBox's private chat, however, that pilot tried to join top Virtual OneWorld (member airlines and Virtual OneWorld itself) officials then flying, to inform them that Virtual SkyTeam is up to no good.

**Norberto**: Sir, I want you to inform Virtual OneWorld that Virtual SkyTeam has engaged hostilities with us.

**Yvan**: What happened? Did a SkyTeam-based aircraft try to shoot you down?

**Norberto**: That is correct. I saw it, we were both Boeing 767s. I want you to move over the mid-Atlantic at these coordinates and try to shoot down DAL124.

Please note that all airline and airport codes used in the network to either connect or file flight plans are in the ICAO format – 3 letters for airlines, 4 letters for airports. But Yvan is on the tarmac at VVTS (Tansonnhat Intl - Vietnam); if he wants to shoot down DAL124, he has to take off from either Greenland or Keflavik, Iceland. Using the Boeing 777-200 spokesman aircraft, which is also the airborne symbol for Virtual OneWorld, is a little risky, it therefore means that he has to use a standard-issue Boeing 777 to take that aircraft down. He takes off from Keflavik as JAL (Japanair) 10.

**Norberto**: Japanair 10, where are you? The starboard engine is on fire!

**Yvan**: Hang on, I will head for where DAL124 is heading to, 58N35W.

Near 58N35W, though, after half an hour of cruise flight, along with the climb to FL380, JAL010 engaged the afterburners and he flies at M1.73. Armed with ammunition heavier than Sidewinders, he approaches DAL124.

**Norberto**: I'm hit! JAL010, finish DAL124 off, for Virtual OneWorld.

He fired two well-placed missile shots, which destroyed spots near vital engine components of the enemy aircraft and the resulting chain reaction blew the engines and the wings off DAL124's B767. As a result, the aircraft exploded due to its center tank still containing fuel. The controller enters his .wallop command from his ATC station, outfitted with VRC (Virtual Radar Client) radars, in order to file a complaint to the nearest VATSIM supervisor, about virtual airlines declaring hostilities one on another.

**Stephen**: VATSIM support line.

**Alec**: Yes, I downloaded VRC, and the last time I controlled as Shanwick Oceanic, 767s reportedly shot each other.

**Stephen**: That shouldn't happen: we designed VATSIM so pilots wouldn't dogfight each other at sea.

However, four interconnected pilots pull an all-night session of online flying and one of them just saw the flaming debris of DAL124's aircraft, falling in front of him. That aircraft sustained some damage to its flaps and the engines flamed out.

**Hassan**: Shanwick Oceanic, mayday, mayday, mayday, this is Egyptair 531, requesting diversion in Gander. We have a bird strike on the port engine.

**Jere**: I'm back. Wait, where are you guys?

**Daniel**: I'm en route for London-Heathrow. But HASSAN reported that he had to land in Gander because he had debris from a dogfight in an engine.

**Jere**: I'm sorry, I had to go to the lavatory.

**Emma**: I'm en route for London-Heathrow too. Egyptair 531, what was your original destination? Elal 70, if you didn't quarrel with your family so much, you wouldn't have to go to the lavatory all the time!

**Jere**: I don't need to take tips from a Fokker girl!

**Hassan**: I was en route for New York Kennedy (KJFK). Three hours more and I could have landed safely in New York.

Emma, when flying shorthauls with pax loads that does not exceed 100 passengers, reportedly flies Fokker F70s or F100s, even F28-4000s if she is in the mood for a more hands-on flying style, hence the nickname of Fokker Girl. But, this time around, she flew WSSS-EGLL (Singapore Changi-London Heathrow) and, as one pax caused a medical emergency, she had to land at VVTS. With some luck, she found a JAL Cargo Boeing 777-200ERF on the tarmac and then vanishing. However, Hassan gets to enter a quarrel with his family.

**Hassan's dad** : Hassan! Hassan!

**Hassan**: Hang on, guys, my dad wants something.

**Hassan's dad**: Hassan!

**Hassan**: What?

**Hassan's dad**: You've been on your computer all weekend. Shouldn't you go out and socialize with your friends?

**Hassan**: I AM socializing, bad pig! I am logged on to a massive ATC network with people from all over the world and flying using Teamspeak.

**Hassan's dad**: I'm not a bad pig.

The father of Hassan fades out of Hassan's room, while the Egyptair-callsigned pilot opens up Servinfo, a software used by pilots and controllers alike to look up for traffic, locations of aircraft, weather reports, flight plans in use and ATC stations.

**Jere**: I am the best B767-200 pilot in all of VATSIM!  
**Daniel**: Wow! Look at all those people flying right now.

**Jere**: All crummy narrowbody flyers. We should have more variety in the VATSIM skies.


	2. Chapter 2: Vengeance

**Chapter 2: Vengeance**

The day later, Emma flies an Airbus A350-1000 in JAL livery out of London Heathrow so much as to try crossing the Atlantic ocean and get to the U.S. west coast. Six hours into the flight, in the Boston ARTCC airspace, a danger situation erupts and a private voice channel appears in both pilots' Squawkbox windows.

**Glenn**: Japanair 328, watch out!

**Emma**: Oh no! It's that guy again!

As to the "guy" she's talking about, it's Curtis, all told. Emma flies as JAL328 this time (but when she flies in neutral or safe zones, she uses Star Alliance callsigns)

**Glenn**: He has more flying skill than us, it isn't fair.

**Emma**: It's all right, Delta 124 can engage us...

Glenn's aircraft, a 737-800, is destroyed at point-blank range by both autocannon fire and rockets. Emma, as an OneWorld pilot, is about to engage in a life-and-death battle against Curtis, still flying as Delta 124 (a 777-200ER this time around).

**Emma**: Don't you have better things to do than going online shooting down OneWorld aircraft?

She used her TCAS to lock the enemy jetliner on her ammunition and fired a pair of Sidewinder missiles...

**Curtis**: Nooooooooooo! I don't want to start over at the gate!

The missiles each hit a Rolls-Royce Trent 895 and exploding each of the engines of the aircraft, which led to a massive fuel leak and fire in the wings, and ultimately, to its crash to the bottom of the sea.

**Curtis**: Who is that bitch?

**Hans**: Whoever she is, she's one skilled pilot.

There was only one solution for the SkyTeam-based virtual airlines: throwing a fly-in as an immense battlefield. Virtual OneWorld fleets keep chipping away at them, exhausting their captains and rendering them unable to fly properly, even in neutral areas unaffected by battle.

**Hans**: OneWorld aircraft keep shooting down our fleets. We should mount a massive counter-attack or surrender!

**Jordan**: Better tell the VCAir board guys.

**Hans**: Fellow board members, we have a problem: Virtual OneWorld airlines are going more aggressively at our pilots!

**Joel**: How do they act?

**Hans**: They just resort to aerial guerilla warfare. The past four nights American Virtual Airlines pilots show up and destroy our aircraft.

**Javier**: The only way to take them out is by fighting them head-on. As far as we know, they have only two major allies: BA Virtual and LAN Virtual, we have Northwest, Delta and other Continental-based airlines.

However, sensing that Virtual SkyTeam wants to battle it out all-out against Virtual OneWorld, the management of the different Virtual OneWorld airlines decide of a plan of action in case there is a battle erupting against Virtual SkyTeam.

**Norberto**: I think that we could engage the Delta group of VAs, us and Delta often share the first place in the list of VAs flying the most flights on VATSIM.

**Yvan**: Who's going to take Continental and Northwest? As far as we know, BA Virtual's resources are stretched to its maximum against Aeroflot, Air France, KLM, Alitalia and CSA (CSA Czech Airlines/Radio: CSA-Lines). Should we let Iberia, Malév, Royal Jordanian and Finnair lead the way against these five airlines?

**Zulfan**: Cathay Pacific can lead the three airlines you mentioned earlier. Unless JAL is busy to fight Korean Air alone...

**Yvan**: Northwest has to defend its Narita hub, it means that we can concentrate on Korean Air and NWA (Northwest)'s Japanese segment. If we're lucky, Northwest as a whole.

**Tomas**: BAW (British Airways/Radio: Speedbird) will fight Continental and the European segments of SkyTeam, we will help BA fight Continental fleets. After all, LAN Virtual is the biggest virtual airline of South America for a reason.

**Brent**: What about us? One of the group has lesser-flown airlines in it. Can we fight alongside that group?

**Norberto**: Granted.

Emma starts a Teamspeak session with her makeshift, home-hosted server located in Lambourne, near the VOR that is fabled for all Asian flights inbound for Heathrow. She organized an extraordinary Teamspeak session in order to warn her of a grave problem and to discuss the course of action to take at large, with pilot players from all over the world.

**Emma**: My friends! As you all know, Continental and Delta-based VAs are throwing a huge fly-in in order to shoot all of us down. The four of us are of little help to turn the tide of the battle in favor of OneWorld, but if we were all flying together, we might earn OneWorld a well-deserved victory.

**Zoltan**: CSA aircraft shot me down fourteen times!

**Mika**: Are you guys dumb? We can't beat SkyTeam, even with all of us.

**Cristobal**: Do we have to try?

**Mika**: I have better things to do...

**Emma**: How could your homeland pay back 10x its losses against the USSR during WWII? It's because of its determined resistance and better knowledge of terrain and airspace (and enemy incompetence). If possible, you could destroy several Aeroflot aircraft before getting yourself shot down.

**Mika**: All right, all right, I'll do it! What's the flying showcase?

**Emma**: Log in at precisely 19:00Z and park yourselves at LHBP (Budapest-Ferihegy). That way, even surrounded by all our enemy airlines, we can attack all of them at once. My friends, to victory!

**Emma**, **Mika**, **Cristobal**, **Zoltan**, **Xian** (plus other pilots in the Teamspeak line): TO VICTORY!

**Xian**: I don't fly OneWorld...

**Emma**: You said that you hated SkyTeam!

**Xian**: Yes, but I'm flying China Eastern more often.

Emma would still use a JAL-painted A350-1000 to prove her allegiance to OneWorld; even if her usual flying habits often go with Star Alliance carriers. Virtual Star Alliance itself is neutral in this affair, and so are the rest of the pilots. Before the battle is taken to European airspace, Eastern Asia begins to resent the effects of battle first. Which would be an easy victory for OneWorld here, since Korean Air's fleet is impossibly outnumbered. Even with Aeroflot's or Northwest's reinforcements, SkyTeam won't find victory easily here.

**Yvan**: Korean Air aircraft are on my TCAS screen! Prepare to aim... lock on to Korean Air aircraft and... RIGHT-CLICK!

A mass right-click made all ammunition with locked-on targets fire on the Korean Air aircraft. Their 737s down, an A330 hit in its control surfaces turning back to Seoul for repairs, there is only a 747 left to fight an entire fleet made of widebody aircraft. That 747-400 was piloted by Jae, alias KAL (Korean Air) 73.

**Jae**: Jesus! I'm the last SkyTeam aircraft standing here! Attention all SkyTeam units, this is Korean Air 73. If possible, please reinforce our positions in the Korean airspace!

Northwest-based virtual airlines were ready to muster all pilots it could to destroy the fleet composed of pilots flying under CPA (Cathay), JAL and QFA (Qantas) callsigns. They'd all take off from Narita. Aeroflot-Nord was not quite ready to respond to Jae's and, ultimately, Korean Air's mayday.

**Tracy**: What the? Northwest aircraft at 2 o'clock!

The Korean Air 747-400 struggles not to get hit by the 200-kg missile fired by Keisuke (JAL123), but all of a sudden, a JAL 737-400, piloted by Takuya, pursues the damaged 744... The missile did not hit the Korean Air 747, because it fired a flare so much as not to get hit by large ammo, However, Takuya, flying as JAL408, pursued Jae's aircraft, straying away from the flock of Northwest aircraft coming in to Seoul. At the same time, a Northwest 757 was lucky enough to spot the JAL 737 and fire on it, as much as the JAL B737 fired its autocannons on the engines of the Korean Air 747. A direct hit in the engine struts made the inboard starboard engine fall in the ocean, and therefore, its pilot shut down the inboard port engine. However, in shooting down the JAL 737, the Northwest aircraft also hit the vertical stabilizer of the Korean Air 747. As a result, both aircraft exploded, due to the aircraft being on a collision course and the loss of control of the 747.

**Takuya**: Japanair 408 down... Japanair 408 is down.

**Yvan**: Japanair 10 stands by to shoot down the 757 whenever it comes under my TCAS.

**Tracy**: Watch out, Japanair 10! You have a Northwest A330 on your tail!

The OneWorld spokesman aircraft (a Boeing 777-300 - the other OneWorld-painted aircraft, a 777-200, has been allocated to American Virtual Airlines to fight Delta's fleets) tries evasive maneuvers to lose the lock-on of the missile fired by the A330. Successfully, since the missile hit its own B757 instead. Yvan searches for Tracy, flying as CPA642.

**Yvan**: Cathay 642, where are you?

**Tracy**: I'm busy with the B757 right now.

The Boeing 757 in flames, due to direct hits into its electrical circuits, which caused electrical arcs, limps back to Narita while it hit not only Yvan's aircraft, but Tracy's also.

**Yvan**: Engaging missile number 3!

The PW4000 engine hit, it also forced the A330 whose engine is hit to turn back to the nearest airport, Haneda for the A330's captain. But some aircraft are in trouble, especially Takahiro, identified on radars as JAL2273.

**Takahiro**: Japanair 10, I have two Northwest aircraft that I can't shake!

**Yvan**: Damnit! We lost Japanair 2273!

With some luck, the 757 and the A330 collided, even with RJAAAPP online, staffed by Ryo. But even Northwest wasn't enough to defeat the three airlines fighting in Japanese airspace; Continental decided to attack too. Yvan turning his aircraft to face the Continental lead aircraft, it recorded a direct hit. The Northwest aircraft did not destroy the hydraulics of the second JAL 737-400; in a desperate action, Takahiro shoved in the way of COA8, the Continental 777 piloted by Denny sent to reinforce the SkyTeam positions, airborne since a couple of minutes. The Northwest 747 shot the Boeing 737-400 down and some debris severed the hydraulics of the aircraft labeled as COA8.

**Denny**: Mayday, mayday, mayday! Continental 8 lost its hydraulics! Requesting vectors back to Haneda.

**Ryo**: Continental 8, turn right heading 090.

Tracy came right in front of COA8 and even if his plane is crippled, Denny fired at it. Above Denny, however, the NWA (Northwest) B744 was busy fighting another B744, Alton, whose callsign is CPA831. Both aircraft are set to be destroyed, but CPA831 has two 757-300s on its back, led by said 747-400.

**Greg**: I take the lead Cathay aircraft, you take the JAL aircraft in its vicinity.

**Denny**: Northwest 753, this is Continental 8. Should we retreat back to Haneda?

**Greg**: Continental 8, even crippled, you can still take on a B767!

JAL7053 (the Boeing 767 NWA753 mentioned, piloted by Izumi) took COA8 down by making the undercarriage explode and the aircraft de-compress, only to be taken out by one of the 757-300s. Tracy, followed by another 757-300, was taken out of combat because of electrical failures but Yvan fired the last of its missiles at the 757-300s and the lead Northwest aircraft, the B747-400.

**Yvan**: Yeehee!

Two other DC-9s looped into battle while its lead aircraft, a Boeing 747-400, shoots down Alton's aircraft with a couple of missiles. What is left of the Northwest Airlines forces are two 747-400s and two DC-9s.

**Keaton**: Need a hand, Northwest 753?

Sunny (CPA388) goes after DAL9672 (a Boeing 767-400, piloted by Keaton) while, in the distance of his TCAS, he can see a Qantas aircraft coming through the dust cloud the battlefield has become, due to the numerous aircraft explosions and ammunition.

**Yvan**: Let's see if the enemy DC-9 pilots can do this!

The DC-9s are after Yvan's B773 and the mountains loop just ahead. He does a steep dive, only to go back up. The old aeroplanes lacking the vertical maneuverability of modern widebodies, despite their size advantage against Yvan's Boeing 777-300, collided against a mountain with steep elevation.

**Luis**: You SkyTeam scum! You shall pay for all you did to OneWorld and to VATSIM!

That being said, the Qantas 767-300 goes away to assist Sunny and Luis, identified as QFA148, engages the other 747-400. Though, ultimately, Sunny is also out of combat, when his plane exploded, leaving only one Cathay Pacific aircraft still in airworthy condition: Abraham, captaining another Boeing 777-300 callsigned as CPA5498.


	3. Chapter 3: Battle over Europe

**Chapter 3: Battle for Europe**

In a real-world British basement, the signal for the attack in the virtual environment has been launched, as planned, with everyone on the ground at Budapest in the virtual world.

**Balint **(controlling as Budapest Approach): Malev 1, wind is 260 at 4, cleared for takeoff runway 31R.

Though an Approach controller wouldn't proceed with taxi on the ground, clearing aircraft to a destination or to take off/land (if all stations are manned into a given airport), when Approach and/or Center are the only ATC stations avaible, they take everything below. Clearance Delivery (or just Delivery) usually grants IFR clearances to destinations and/or circuit approval, while Ground taxi aircraft to their runways/parking slots, Tower clears all aircraft to take off and land, and also follows VFR aircraft within 10 NM of the airport, Approach guides aircraft in and out of airports and finally, Center and FSS, the highest positions avaible, do all the en-route controlling.

**Havesi**: Cleared for takeoff runway 31R, Budapest Approach, Malev 1.

The entire group, led by Havesi, flying as MAH (Malev) 1 as a Boeing 767-300ER, took off in two long chains, the widebodies from runway 31R and the narrowbodies from runway 31L. Once airborne, half the narrowbody group, led by MAH1, the only widebody in that attack group, engaged CSA aircraft to the northwest, the other half the narrowbody group, led by Mika (flying as FIN (Finnair) 250 in an A340-300), flies to the northeast against Aeroflot aircraft and the rest of the widebodies fight Air France, KLM and Alitalia all at once. However, someone notices something odd.

**Emma**: When the attack begins, all aircraft activate the pitot heater. This shall be a day for all to remember, let's bravely charge the skies of VATSIM! Japanair 971, what the hell are you doing?

An enraged Emma sees another Airbus A350-1000 in full JAL livery, painted by the Simulated Cargo Conversion Bureau, a virtual paint shop owned by Yvan. She tries to scold Xian, flying as JAL971.

**Xian**: I got OneWorld aircraft as you said.

**Emma**: As long as I'm in play, I'm the Japan Airlines A350-1000. Pick another aircraft!

**Xian**: I shouldn't have been involved in that fight!

JAL971 moves back to LEPA (Barcelona-El Prat, Spain, which is closer to the foes the main group wants to fight) and carries on the fight alone, only to weaken the Air France and Alitalia units.

**Emma**: Aim for the enemy with your mouse cursors... lock them on... and RIGHT-CLICK!

However, FIN250 leads his group closer to EFHK (Helsinki-Vantaa, Finland) than to ULLI (St. Petersburg, Russia), its main target. Because he will expect Aeroflot to send its 767s and Tupolev 154s to attack Helsinki-Vantaa.

**Dmitry**: Oktaum!

Aeroflot aircraft fired the big ammunition and destroyed a Malév CRJ as well as a Finnair A319. As another aircraft entered the battlefield...

**Hannes**: Hey Mika! Am I flying with you guys?

**Mika**: Dad? Not now! Get off our Teamspeak line! Take out the Ilyushin IL-96!

Mika and company successfully destroy the IL-96, but they lost a 736 to the enemy hands. However, JAL971 stood on the ground in Barcelona, with Rodrigo, flying as IBE (Iberia) 747 on the ground as well.

**Rodrigo**: Japanair 971, look out!

**Xian**: Scranble away!

Both aircraft managed to take off before Air France aircraft could hit them on the ground; they returned fire and managed to destroy all GE90s on the nearest three 777s, while IBE747 only lost one engine and JAL971 lost its horizontal stabilizers.

**Xian **: Mayday, mayday, mayday, Barcelona Tower, JAL971 lost its horizontal stabilizers.

Taking out a trio of 777s is not enough to calm down the enemies; they had A320s and an A330-200 to fight the OneWorld duet. Even without horizontal stabilizers, JAL971 could still severely damage the A320s before crashing in the French countryside. As for IBE747, it was also taken out, but a ramming A320 was needed and the other A320 was destroyed. The A330 emerged unscathed and flew to meet the other group of aircraft.

**Mika**: The enemy is alone and crippled and so am I. The last thing either of us can do is to put ourselves on a collision course.

And thus the "Battle of the Baltic Sea" ended in a draw. Let's see how the widebody group can handle the Air France, KLM and Alitalia fleets. Even weaker by five aircraft, Air France can still hold out to support Alitalia, which mainly fly MD-80s in battle.

**Lorenzo**: Japanair 328, traffic is a B767 at 12 o'clock, 7 miles. Report in sight.

**Emma**: Genoa traffic, have the traffic in sight.

AZA (Alitalia) 181 began firing on QFA148's engines (Luis at its controls), leading an engine to be on fire and had to be shut down.

**Luis**: I'm burning! I'm burning!

In a last stroke of courage, its pilot shot down AZA181 before being taken out by the A330-200 that was the sole remnant of the Barcelona-based battle sequence, leading to a Lost-style crash and a 747-400 being downed. However, Juan Carlos took off IBE9071 from LFMN (Nice-Côte-d'Azur, France/Monaco)

**Emma**: Iberia 9071, hit the Air France A330-200 with your Hellfire missiles! IBE9071? IBE9071!

There was no response to these calls from the OneWorld unit commander, but CSA fights as intensely as the enemy does, at the location where Malév fleeters fight, i.e. in Central European airspace, taking out narrowbodies while losing aircraft themselves.

**Havesi**: We are UNABLE to withstand a firepower of that magnitude!

A narrowbody has been hit and hits the enemy A310's engines back. But with the loss of its avionics, MAH3120 is doomed to be destroyed.

**Jakub**: Intensify fire on all batteries!

ATCs seemed not to be able to do anything about this, but there are only two A319s left. Demoralized by the collision of MAH3120 (Gergely) with the A310, the enemy falls back and ultimately gets destroyed. OneWorld earned victory in that area. That is, until KLM brings the fight to that Central Europe zone once more.

**Havesi**: That's it! Screw this game!

The enemy at 200 nautical miles, the rest of the OneWorld narrowbodies get themselves some rest in EDDM (Munich-Strauss, Germany) before they continue the fight over Europe.

**Emma**: Where are those "Speedbirds"?

BAW95, played by his brother Mortimer, sent a personal message to SIA328 over Squawkbox to tell her that his unit is busy engaging Continental and Delta fleets in the New York and the Atlanta TRACONs (Terminal Route Area Control, an area usually manned by Approach-rated controllers). He even had to divert from Montreal Trudeau to New York. So the question is: how many British Airways narrowbodies stood in all five London airports to defend against Air France-KLM crews? However, to avoid detection on enemy TCAS, they all turned their transponders on mode Standby, in order to land on UNICOM safely. Half an hour later, the only OneWorld aircraft remaining faces an A380, both of which are damaged. They fight in an area full of smoke caused by the flaming debris of downed aircraft of both sides.

**Emma**: Go easy on me... darn it...

These were the last words before the shooting of the port wing of her A350-1000, which made it clear that OneWorld lost in Europe.


	4. Chapter 4: Frustration

**Chapter 4: Frustration**

The next reunion over the Teamspeak line reunited frustrated people from every part of the world. Even some pilots in neutral parties quit flying on VATSIM.

**Yvan**: What the hell are you guys doing? Don't tell me you have quit flying online too!

**Jere**: Dude, we're done. Neutral parties keep taking the toll of the fighting between SkyTeam and OneWorld.

**Mika**: We're getting sick of being shot down every time.

**Emma**: When things look bad, we can't just give up on VATSIM! SkyTeam can shoot us down so easily because they vastly outnumber us, right? But if we became significantly better than they do...

**Rodrigo**: We can't get better because SkyTeam guys keep shooting us down!

**Yvan**: We have been defeated in Europe, but the Americas are not quite lost to us... they postponed the Americas portion of the fly-in because of the huge mess made in the European and Asian portions.

**Emma**: But before we get back to VATSIM, you'd just fly offline. The AI traffic is about the skill level SkyTeam crews are. We can't adjust the flying skill of the AI but we can adjust the density of the traffic. Go get SkyTeam AI traffic and flightplans. What do you say, guys? You can... just fly aimlessly or you can fly with a definite goal in mind.

Meanwhile, in the VATSIM Headquarters, near London Heathrow, the Board of Governors watch carefully what is happening in the network.

**David**: Oh no... they have finished destroying every single aircraft in the KZOA ARTCC (Air Route Traffic Control Center).

**Norman**: How many aircraft were in there?

**David**: Over 30.

**Kyle**: There are over 120,000 pilots who log on to VATSIM. Are you going to say that all their aircraft are going to be shot down if there is nothing we can do to help them?

**Orest**: Yes. And it won't be long before everyone gets really frustrated and stop flying/controlling altogether.

**Richard**: It may very well lead to the end of the Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network.

But some elite pilots just stand in VATSIM and try to win back the turf they lost in the fly-in by simply harassing the lots of SkyTeam traffic online and bring the balance back to Virtual OneWorld. As Yvan circles around Atlanta from Miami and when low on ammo and fuel, lands in an airport out of the Atlanta TRACON (Terminal Region Area Control). Or Emma which circles around KIAH (Houston-Bush Intercontinental, U.S.A.) and destroys the aircraft in and out of that airport.

**Mika**: I got to go around, my left-clicking finger hurts.

**Rodrigo**: Come on, you can do it!

We see scenes of endless, offline drills against AI-controlled aircraft, increasing in density every time, to get to the level of traffic Emma and Yvan shoot down when online. The airspace may vary, some JAL and Cathay Pacific fliers are fighting in Eastern Asia, others fly close to their home bases or the home airports of their enemies.

**Ross**: This fly-in just gave extra zeal to our enemies. The Supervisors say that there are four OneWorld-based pilots, none of them being American, which lead the fight against SkyTeam.

**Ruth**: Are they strong enough to defeat SkyTeam's top pilots?

**Orest**: We ran the numbers, even with their amazing skill, they have a 90 crash probability. They'd be flying through a slaughter.

**Richard**: There has to be... some way we can help them!

**Kyle**: What about... the N790 EMP?

**Roland**: Quiet, Kyle, you never spoke of the EMP.

**Kyle**: But maybe these pilots are those the prophecy foretold of! 

**Roland**: It is NOT an option!

**Richard**: What is the N790 EMP?

**Kyle**: When SATCO was created, one of the programmers put a special weapon into the network's inventory. But it was considered too powerful for anyone to possess, so it was stored on a CD. Apparently it could made the ammunition explode along with the enemy avionics and electrical systems, ultimately causing the aircraft to explode when hit.

**Ross**: But it was foretold that one day pilots/ATCs who could wield these weapons might reveal themselves.

**Richard**: Who foretold this prophecy?

**Kyle**: Paul. He's the Singapore FIR (WSJC) chief controller.

They enter the secret room of the VATSIM headquarters and get to the room where the CD containing the N790 EMP was stored.

**Kyle**: Behold! The N790 EMP!

**Richard**: We must get this weapon to the ones they have proven to destroy the virus plaguing VATSIM.

**Kyle**: Let's hope they don't start the battle before we can reach them.

The Singapore FIR (Flight Information Region) organized a fly-in, which is actually a controller test for his senior controller rating, ranked as C3. Paul, the chief controller of that particular FIR, stands ready to evaluate the test subject, but this part of the flight is out of Tong's radar reach, as he hands them off from Center to Approach, the second manned position of Singapore. Emma flies as SIA (Singapore Airlines) 328 for the test. Said student requested VFR and IFR traffic, basically two different types of flying (Visual Flight Rules is weather and altitude-restricted while Instrument Flight Rules can fly at just about any time)

**Paul**: Singapore Airlines 328, cleared ILS runway 20R.

**Emma**: Singapore Approach, cleared ILS and to land runway 20R.

At the same time, Yvan (still as JAL010) is also vectored to RWY 20R, so much as to try to park as close as possible to SIA328. Because he received a few special "gifts" from Emma via e-mail.

"Hi. Whoever you are, I admire your flying skill in battle. Though to land, you have to resort to the NAV HOLD or the autoland, so do I. Here are scanned photos of me so you can still think of whom you ought to protect in our final battle against SkyTeam. I don't expect neither Northwest nor Korean Air not to show up at 2200Z because they were exhausted of battling you and your aircraft over the Strait of Korea. I know the U.S. as a whole is to become an immense battlefield, so we as JAL pilots have to take off from a set airport. American takes off from Dallas, LAN from San Diego, what about we used up Denver?

We have lots in common: a common love for flying to start with. Also, our burning rage against SkyTeam will help us defeat the rogue pilots plaguing VATSIM, shooting down innocent aircraft. I hope we can get to fly together after the conflict ends.

Regards,  
Emma"

Yvan looks at the photos Emma sent of her and, at his eyes, she is the prettiest lady pilot in the world. But Emma wishes to know more about the history of VATSIM and, ultimately of online flying at large. For that purpose, she went into the Teamspeak line.

**Emma: **I have the feeling that VATSIM is not everything in virtual aviation history. Is there anything else to it?

**Yvan**: Of course! SATCO was the ancestor of the two major networks of today: IVAO, or International Virtual Aviation Organisation and the VATSIM as we know today. There is not much to history: SquawkBox 1 and ProController were launched in 1997, thus marking the start of SATCO. When management disputes broke over, a year later, the former was split in two and IVAO was formed on December 16, 1998 and SATCO was rebranded VATSIM in 2001. That's all there is to know about VATSIM's history.

After doing their pre-flight checks offline, players piloting JAL aircraft log in and are parked on the tarmac at Denver, at 1900Z. They all get ready to line up RWY34L/R, awaiting the signal of the ATC to take off.

**Guilherme**: Japan Airways 10, cleared for takeoff runway 34L.

On the Teamspeak line, all JAL aircraft behind the OneWorld 777-300, registered JA8941, piloted by Yvan) waited for the instructions of the KZDV ATCs.

**Yvan**: Stand ready for takeoff! ATC gave clearance to take off runway 34R!

The other 777-300, as Emma used a more classic aircraft than an A350-1000 to shoot down the SkyTeam guys since her defeat over the France-Italy border, was the beginning of a long chain of aircraft taking off from the 16s.

**Emma**: Evryone has macroed their radar localizer buttons?

**Izumi**: Hang on, I'm adjusting my autocannons to maximum firing rate.

**Yvan**: Nice...

**Takahiro**: What's the TCAS macro?

**Emma**: Shift-0.

**Takuya**: This fly-in can last more than twelve hours. What if you ran out of food midway through it?

**Trond**: Don't worry, I have that covered. JAL719, more bread!

**Shai**: Right away, son! Have a good flight!

**Hideyuki**: I think the Delta crews see us...

**Takahiro**: Let's do this!

**Takuya**: Yeah, my mom said I had to be in bed at 2100Z.

**Emma**: Is everyone ready?

All pilots pushed their Ident buttons on their transponders and they all appeared on the TCAS of all aircraft and all radars with sufficient range within their respective positions' ARTCCs.

**Yvan**: Japan Airlines pilots, OneWorld maintenance crews, passengers of the world... MOVE OUT!


	5. Chapter 5: Hopes of Victory

**Chapter 5: Hopes of Victory**

Two landings later (and an all-night session flying a 777-300 into battle for Yvan), SkyTeam and OneWorld fleets are exhusted, their fleets reduced to a handful of pilots on each side. A few OneWorld survivors are spending the night in KDFW (Dallas-Fort Worth Intl, U.S.A.) ready for battle tomorrow morning. Around the bonfire that they lighted up with jet fuel, they eat s'mores near their parking slots with marshmallows on the tarmac.

**Norberto**: How many kills did you log?

**Emma**: Forty-two.

**Yvan**: Same for me.

**Lam**: Thirteen.

**Harold**: Twelve.

**Jukka**: Liar! You fear the number 13! There was only one way for me to break through the SkyTeam lines: landing in Canada first (Star Alliance turf _coast to coast_).

SkyTeam had unexpected reinforcements from Northwest and Korean Air, long thought to have been crippled over the Strait of Korea. Their radar still on, working on a ground-based generator, it forced the gang of OneWorld pilots parked in Dallas to take off early, at 1100Z. Once that they did take off, though, they begin battle. Something goes awry when Emma is _ordered_ to fire at an enemy widebody.

**Norberto**: Emma, fire on the Northwest 747!

We see Emma, flying as JAL328, fire her autocannon on the Northwest 747 and then no fire. At this time, no round did hit any aircraft, friendly or enemy.

**Norberto**: What's wrong?

**Emma:** Carpian tunnel... carpian tunnel.

**Mortimer**: She's got it bad, we need Bengay!

Mortimer and Emma temporarily out of combat, Norberto's aircraft oversees the 777 flying in a straight path, to see if the Northwest 747 won't shoot it down before he made the enemy engines explode.

**Emma**: Just leave me behind. I'll turn back to Dallas.

**Mortimer**: We can't lose without you, come on! Stay on target!

The CD containing the "secret weapon" of VATSIM has been shipped to Central Finland, in the middle of snowlands. David just arrived at the suspected location of the chosen pilot to fly the classified aircraft. He faces a problem from the owners of the location and quarrels with them.

**David**: Good night, we're looking for a great pilot, by the name of Mika Poutianen.

**Hannes**: That's my son.

**David**: Where is he?

**Hannes **(suspicious): Who are you?

**David **(with anger): Sir, we don't have time! I have heard from the Tampere FIR that your son is already flying into battle!

**Hannes**: _Tampere???_ OMG...

Hannes goes upstairs to go search for his wife.

**Hannes **(screaming): Sweetheart, where is our son?

**Erika**: He went at the airport to take his stupid flying lessons.

**David**: Which airport?

**Erika**: I don't know! So what?

**David**: We will be too late... without the secret aircraft, OneWorld will fail and SkyTeam will terrorize all the pilots in the training world! Who here can fly a Boeing 747-200B? I can't, I don't want to take the risk of being detected and put VATSIM's reputation at risk.

**Jere**: I can fly a Boeing 747-200B. Though I usually fly 767-200ERs, I logged a few hours with Pan Am Virtual with the Project Opensky 747-200B. I am quite new to classic 747s but I can fly from Toronto Pearson (CYYZ) and get this secret weapon to the OneWorld fleeters.

**David**: You? What are your ties with the one we seek?

**Jere**: I am his brother. He taught me everything I know about piloting.

**David**: We can't trust the N790 EMP to a pilot with near-zero experience with its airframe!

**Jere**: Looks to me that we don't have a choice! Give me the keys to the 747.

He receives the CD case from David and goes out to find a computer with a functional copy of FS9 or FSX.

**Jere**: Better find a computer with a functional copy of FS9!

Out in KZHU (Houston ARTCC) airspace, however, the top lady pilots of each faction (Emma Kate Bentley for OneWorld, Shelly Johnson for SkyTeam, respectively flying as JAL328 and COA4361) duke it out in the busy skies, under the stressed eyes of ATCs.

**Emma**: Take that, Continental 4361!

Shelly's aircraft (a 777-200ER with the special New York livery) has been hit in the nosegear compartment area, leading to dents in the aircraft and air going through the hole, increasing drag. While she turned back at Houston-Bush, performing an Immelmann and then going down, Emma closed in to hit her between the main landing gear wells, rendering the aircraft without landing gears. The aircaft in front of Shelly's did a loop to shoot at the landing gears and make them explode. A huge chain of explosions ensued, leading to tke destuction of the 772. However, between KDFW and KMSP (Minneapolis-St.Paul, the front-line base of two SkyTeam airlines, Korean Air and Northwest Airlines)...

**Yvan**: Look at all those 747s! Concentrate your fire on the nearest 747!

Here we see four 737s and 767s firing a few shots at the lead 747, while the OneWorld task force only lost a 737-800. The 737-800 lost its wing, got its winglet into the intake of another Northwest 747-400, and make that 747 fly on three engines.

**Hirokazu**: We just shot down a pilot we wanted to capture!

**Yvan**: Who is that pilot?

**Hirokazu**: A Cathay Pacific girl turned traitor.

However, within the hallowed walls of CYYZ, ELY70 and his escort, FIN375, race through the airport terminals to get to their aircraft. They got lost in Terminal 1 and ask AI-generated "pax" in there for their aircraft locations.

**Hannes**: Where's the American Airlines 737-800 bound for Dallas?

**Marie-Claire**: The 737-800 you seek is right by the end of Pier D.

AI-generated passengers accompany the duet to their gates, but Jere's Boeing 747-200B is in the Hammerhead, since the Hammerhead is the only suitable location to park 747s. Which led Jere (ELY70) to take off into battle before Hannes (FIN375) could, though FIN375 took off from RWY24L and ELY70 from RWY 24R, then accomplishing a parallel takeoff.

**Jere**: Dad?

FIN375 has been shot down by a Korean Air 747-400, with many rounds of autocannon; the flaming and then smoking debris extend from Jarvis St. to Meadowvale Road, and from Highway 401 to Finch Ave. Basically, there are debris almost everywhere in the northern part of Toronto itself. By miracle, the COM radio was still functional after the shootdown.

**Hannes**: Toronto Approach, Finnair 375 has been shot down!

**Jere**: Toronto Approach, this is Elal 70. Requsting vectors back to Pearson.

**Sandeep **(controlling as CYYZAPP, Toronto Approach): Turn left heading 350.

As Jere began its landing maneuver, however, Yvan's group was en route from KORD (Chicago-O'Hare) to free up a passage through KDTW (Detroit Metro) to get to CYYZ. According to the plan, Emma was to attack KMSP and destroy all aircraft in its vicinity.

Sandeep cannot be an observer or a student, for to be able to man an Approach position meant that he had to hold a rank equal or greater than that of Senior Student (S3). Among ATCs, there is an hierarchy, which prevents some controllers of insufficient ranks to control come positions. All promotions are earned after successes in exams. Theory tests are necessary at all levels granting controlling capability, but only the process to even earn controlling capability does not require a practical test. A Student (S1) can control Clearance Delivery (DEL), Ground (GND) and Tower (TWR). Senior Students, S3s, can man, in addition to the aforementionned positions, Approach (APP, which is a radar service) and Controllers, C1s, can control Center (CTR) and Flight Service Stations (FSS). C3s are senior to C1s, but being a Senior Controller only gives you an administrative advantage, as opposed to INS, which allows you to train ATCs.

**Yvan**: Spare no one! Fire at will!

Though the enemy returned fire, their TCAS were not functional, therefore meaning that only autocannons could fire. With trailing DC-9s, Northwest pilots tried to take out JAL10, but they still did not do anything to solve their shortcomings in the area of vertical maneuverability. As a result, the DC-9s crashed into water.

**Jae and Ian** (at once): We surrender!

By this act, Northwest and Korean Air were not to trouble the VATSIM skies again. But even Northwest's surrender was too little to stop SkyTeam from plaguing the mainline airspace of the network. It required a master plan to force Continental or Delta into defeat or surrender to put an end to the troubles in VATSIM. Since Delta was one of the prime airlines of the network, even losing Northwest and Korean Air meant almost nothing to them. Once landed in CYYZ, Jere took a rescue truck to search his father in the debris area. He finally found him at the intersection of Kennedy Rd. and Shepard Ave.

**Hannes**: Jere...

**Jere**: Dad?

**Hannes**: I've ever been able to say this before but... I love you, son.

Even converted to Judaism, ELY70 respects his Orthodox father though the reverse is partly wrong. FIN250 is the eldest son and was not tempted to become a Jewish pilot.

**Jere**: I know you do, Dad.

A follow-me car, painted in Finnair's colors, arrived at the area, as FIN250 arrived a bit late in the airport. With the captains flying as JAL10 and RJA (Royal Jordanian) 269, respectively Buddhist and Muslim, they got three airline fleet commanders of different religions that put aside their differences to fight a common enemy in order to rescue the pax of Finnair flight 375 (a chartered 737-800).

**Hannes**: Search the wreck for more passengers that survived the crash!

This led a Extra 500 pilot nearby to land in the street, pick up the fleet commanders and fly to the nearest airport (Toronto Downsview - CYZD - the DeHavilland factory where Dash-8s are manufactured).

**Yvan**: Toronto Approach, this is Japanair 10, we commandeer all the follow-me cars in Downsview to search for survivors.

Luckily, they only were 12 which were heavily wounded. They also commandeered a school in the zone where debris have been found, to host all the survivors before another aircraft would be flown to their original destination.

**Yvan**: Who will fly these "passengers" to their original destination? We don't want to wait after American Airlines' crews. We got several aircraft sitting on CYYZ's tarmac, a Boeing 777-300, a 747-200 and two A340s. Sure, we will fly through a Delta nest but our allies are still fighting in this area.

**Hannes**: There is only 1 way to settle this: we will have a "short straw" draw-out, the one with the shortest straw is the one to fly the flight to KDFW.

Mika draws the shortest straw and therefore has to fly to KDFW, though he is more accustomed to Scandinavian airspace. With his checklists complete, he flies into U.S. airspace, which he fears more than anything else since he doesn't know much about the FAA's regulations.


	6. Chapter 6: An Impossible Truce

**Chapter 6: An Impossible Truce**

Even if Delta did not surrender, its Cincinnati base has been captured, weakening SkyTeam even more. As Mika checks his traffic radar for Delta or Continental aircraft, however, he sees Anuj, playing as UAL4611 getting under fire.

**Anuj**: Attention all OneWorld crews! Stand ready to return fire at all SkyTeam aircraft in your TCAS range! I have been hit by SkyTeam crews!

**Mika**: Ready, United 4611.

Because of this incident near Cincinnati, where fleeing Delta crews opened fire on all suspect OneWorld supply aircraft, Virtual Star Alliance couldn't sit idly and watch the main two alliances lopping each other's head off.

**Anuj**: These SkyTeam scum opened fire at me while I was landing at KCVG. 

**David**: SkyTeam is getting all the more aggressive every day. We should ready all Star Alliance crews for battle when we still can.

**Kip**: At least SkyTeam has no foothold in the Asia-Pacific area. We need to take out the key airspace of SkyTeam: US and Northern Europe.

**Jean-François**: We cover the airspace to the north of SkyTeam's in North America, if any OneWorld or Star Alliance fleeters want to, they can use our airports as front-line bases.

**Byron**: What should we do? We have to make our crews battle-ready as fast as we can before we can take them out again. OneWorld earned victories on their own but they are pyrrhic.

**Emma**: I can lead Singapore Airlines to victory when battle comes. What about LOT, Spanair, Austrian or Lufthansa?

**Dieter**: Germany? Seriously, who do we have to fear, KLM?

**Motoyoshi**: We can distract Korean Air if Korean Air is battle-ready by then.

**Patrik**: All Nippon Airways? Seriously, you have some serious butt at your northeast.

**Motoyoshi**: Korean Air is our main concern. Unless JAL or Cathay Pacific is strong enough to take Korean Air and Aeroflot-Nord out, we are the ones to do it. We know this airspace better than these foreign-recruited JAL "ronin". Though the JAL guys know better the ways in and out of Japan, only we can ensure the proper defense of domestic Japanese airspace.

**Filipe**: How is Japan important in our victory?

**Motoyoshi**: Japan is home to two warring airlines, mine is in Star Alliance, the other one is in OneWorld.

Meanwhile, somewhere in a real-world Finland GA airport, the conflict is discussed in ground school, as part of their ATC procedures class. Mika begins the debate, as he saw and fought the conflict on the front-line. The object of the debate is whether VATFIN (Finland vACC) should go all-out to support their OneWorld brethren or they should sit idly and let Finnish airspace be invaded from the east.

**Mika**: I think we should engage in battle and make these Aeroflot and CSA scum pay for all their bad deeds on the network. As we all know, real-world student pilots are also making up some of the best elements of our fleets as that of our enemies. They use VATSIM to get ATC-proc training, either VFR or IFR, so they should get their training without getting shot down all the time.

**Hannes**: No, what would make you think that Aeroflot or CSA will surrender if we crush them into battle, even with our reinforcements? We still have Alitalia, Air France and KLM to contend apart from CSA and Aeroflot. The "Battle for Europe" wil be over only if all these airlines admit defeat.

**Ville**: For my part, SkyTeam is the root of the problem that plagues VATSIM. If we crush all the SkyTeam airlines in the network, and they all surrender, one by one, then every real-world student pilot will get his training in peace if we could restore peace to the network.

**Juerg**: I am a member of a Virtual Star Alliance member airline, Star Alliance shall fight alongside OneWorld.

**Joona**: There is no need of extra pilots to beat SkyTeam down; in fact, if the student next to me is correct, we will have SAS support in our own airspace.

**Ricour**: I see KLM aircraft being shot down every day I fly in the network. I can't even fly to Amsterdam with ATC without getting into the crossfire. The sooner SkyTeam's reign of terror over the network will end, the better. It's all about restoring peace and order to the network. Of course, the Southern hemisphere isn't affected much, but the mainline airspace is literally plagued.

**Müller**: SkyTeam? Reign of terror? Jetliner piloting has never been any more dull than today. All SkyTeam did was to bring back the fun in piloting. Well, in the mainline airspace anyway. Backworld areas can still be fun, especially when the ILS is all screwed up.

**Hannes**: The battle will be fought in the mainline airspace anyways... so why some OneWorld fleeters insist on stationing aircraft at backworld areas where the enemy don't even dare go?

At this very moment, Jere has arrived at the airport to pick his brother and father up.

**Jere**: JAL and Qantas are best known for that type of strategy; one of their fleet commanders is stationed in VVTS until either: enemy aircraft come to his airport (or Vietnam airspace for that matter) or major battles are fought under JAL's banner. As for Qantas, all they get to shoot down in their own airspace is "charter flights", which isn't much.

**Mika**: The problem is Thai crews now patrol that area. JAL can then concentrate their efforts on the North American and European fronts, as would Air New Zealand.

**Ville**: Should we support our crews in the European airspace?

At the moment of this vote, Emma is already engaging enemy aircraft with a F28-4000. That is, where turboprops and regional jets are flown by SkyTeam factions. She tries to avoid engaging the heavy aircraft unless American Airlines or Japan Airlines aircraft are around. With her skills at hands-on piloting, she takes on Delta Connection aircraft, forcing them to land but...

**Emma**: Denver Center, mayday, mayday, mayday. An engine exploded, requesting permission to land in South Park. 

**Noah**: Expect RWY 29 in South Park, Singapore 328.

In the VATSIM world, Yvan pretends that he is on a vacation in Ho Chi Minh City, where he can rest for a couple of days at his grandmother's home's virtual counterpart. His grandmother lives at 10 nautical miles from VVTS itself in the real world, under the ILS path for RWY25L. This is the last day before his virtual departure.

**Tu Tran**: I'm glad you fly at the airport next to my home... but you never fly out with me onboard.

**Yvan**: Do you want me to jumpseat you?

**Tu Tran**: What IS jumpseating?

**Yvan**: Grandma, jumpseating consists of allowing someone in your family to fly with you at the controls, usually in first class. I have a jumpseat ticket for my next flight tomorrow, where do you want to fly? You can fly anywhere in the JAL destination booklist, roundtrip.

**Tu Tran**: JAL? Your airline? Do you mean that I have to make a transfer in Tokyo or Osaka?

**Yvan**: No, we are on a special trip called the "Round-the-World" charity flight. All profit earned from these flights will go to the people in the third-world countries affected by natural disasters. 

**Tu Tran**: I never flew any further than Hanoi, so for the first time I'll fly outside of my country.

**Yvan**: I am the captain in charge of the organization of the "Round-the-World" charity flight. I flew all the way from Tokyo. Five hours and forty-four minutes, from a gate to another. Decide on a destination, I have three hours to make a flightplan before I file it.

**Tu Tran**: When are you leaving?

**Yvan**: In six hours. I must be at the airport at 21:00 local time. Then I can board and fly the aircraft.

**Tu Tran**: Where are you flying?

**Yvan**: London-Heathrow. Don't worry, I have enough experience to make it to Heathrow safe and sound.

Using his grandmother's motorcycle, the duet go to Tansonnhat Intl's departures area (yes, even pilots have to go through the same processes as do passengers) while Yvan goes to the control tower's flight-plan entry door. They find nothing to eat in this place. His grandmother found him in the control tower.

**Tu Tran**: What are we going to eat? I'm hungry: hold on, you will have a hearty meal onboard.

His grandmother installed in a window seat, he prepares to make the cabin announcement before even entering that flight deck. And the flight crew briefing, too.

**Yvan**: Welcome aboard Japan Airlines Worldflight with service to London Heathrow. All profit will go to the third-world countries affected by natural disasters. Please fasten your seatbelts and put your seats back in an upright position, we will prepare for takeoff along any minute. The flight attendants will pass through the safety rules before we push back and taxi.

He then goes for the flight deck, only to discover that he is on UNICOM and the sole aircraft in the airport. Also, the ground music is activated. Four hours later, Emma is flying an A380 from Denver to London Heathrow.

**Yvan**: What do you want to eat, "cha gio" or steak?

**Tu Tran**: Steak.

Both aircraft race to London Heathrow (as they feel that the battle will be fiercest in Europe and fought before it comes to North America)... no one seems to get closer than the other. The one thing that would determine who will win is the active runways: if the 09s were in use for landings (any of them), then Emma would win, if the 27s were in use by touchdown time, Yvan would win. That is, if no fighting happen in either direction.

**Yvan**: That's too quiet... where are the SkyTeam critters?

**Havesi**: They seem to be recovering from all the fighting against the OneWorld fleets... we'd better put our transponders on Standby modes until our TCAS shows that we enter ATC-staffed zones.

They're basically flying on UNICOM, well, until they enter the EGTT FIR (London Control), which is traditional OneWorld terrain. Unless any SkyTeam aircraft would even dare land in this area (they usually use Gatwick for US-to-UK flights), Star Alliance and OneWorld aircraft are safe in that particular airport. They both land, but since it is VATSIM Heathrow can handle landings on both runways at once, depending on the weight of the aircraft. JAL is parked at Terminal 3, Singapore Airlines at Terminal 1, so Emma wins, as the 27s were used for landings.

**Emma: **See you next time!

For some reason, Emma went to Montreal, as part of a college exchange program. With some luck, she is in Yvan's Physics class. Though the subject was dynamics, she felt more comfortable to talk about drag, friction coefficients and how they affect things done in the everyday life.

**Emma**: Who is he? He seems to master the notions around the significant digits...

**Daniel**: You want to laugh, Miss Bentley? He is known as the _Significant Digit Grand Master_!

**Emma**: The Significant Digit Grand Master is that guy? I want to speak with him later on...

Emma does not even suspect that the _Significant Digit Grand Master_ flies as JAL010 on VATSIM and runs a virtual aircraft paint shop/rental & maintenance facility. She thinks that this title is held by a completely dfferent person, a person that, if he even flies on an online ATC network, would try to get the panel with the highest number of significant digits for everything about fuel for a given aircraft.

**The SDGM**: You're prettier than a mathematical function that is defined by parts.

**Emma**: No matter who you are, I know you have a sizeable skill in math... perhaps more than I do.

**The SDGM**: I'm ready to host you before the Vans Math Contest begins.

**Emma**: You also participate in the Vans Math Contest?

**The SDGM**: If you want, I can take you to my place someday if you need aid for anythng, or if I require such aid. I will always regard you as one of the few girls with the required skill in math to have any chance of success with me.

**Emma**: I think you demand too much about math when you pick girls with whom you would like to try your hand. Math skill/knowledge shouldn't be that much of a factor.

**The SDGM**: That would be at least one similarity... but please.

In time, she went at his home in order not to get aid concerning school, but about commuting. She needed his expertise in order to get to the Vans Math Contest using public transportation alone.

**The SDGM**: Come to the basement, I have a surprise for you.

That surprise is a handful of JAL-painted Airbus A350 pictures as well as 777-200ERFs under different liveries, most of the pictures depicting JAL Cargo flights.

**Yvan**: You're the one flying as JAL010? Yvan? I never knew that you were an expert in significant figures.

**Yvan**: I know who you are, since we both flew out of KDFW in our fight alongside OneWorld. Emma, before I saw you, I highly doubted that there would be any lady pilot with such beauty... now I know it's the truth. Even the Thai B747 lady pilot, reported by many as being the most beautiful lady pilot in the world, may very well have posed as a pilot in order to go up the flight attendant ranks.

**Emma**: Yvan, all I want is the way to St. Hubert International Airport.

**Yvan**: CYHU? I think it's best to go to that area from the main campus. From the college campus, go to the bus line number 28 and go straight to the terminus. Then, there should be signs in the terminal of the airport (though it's mostly for domestic and trans-border GA) leading to the competition site. Unless it's within the terminal.

However, over the Teamspeak line…

**Hassan**: Where are the OneWorld top fleet commanders?

**Daniel**: I heard that they were off to a math competition. One of them is the fabled _Significant Digit Grand Master_, the other one is in an exchange program.

**Hassan**: I contacted Ho Chi Minh Center and he told me that he hadn't seen him nearby. I know Yvan, he wouldn't pass up a chance to fly in or out of Tansonnhat whenever ATC is online there.

**Daniel**: VVTS? The _Significant Digit Grand Master_ is a Vietnamese pilot? When I stumble upon any manner of ATC in odd areas, I check if there is any pilot within that airspace. For VVTS, I fall most often on Yvan.

**Hassan**: We can't fight without either of these two! The first one is the top lady pilot of either OneWorld or Star Alliance, the other one is an "intermediate widebody" ace pilot.

**Jere**: Is a 767-200 considered an intermediate widebody? 

**Hassan**: What is usually considered intermediate widebodies are A330-300s up to the A340-600/B777-300. 747-100s are the start of the VLJ (very large jetliners) category. The light widebodies are the 767s and the A330-200, as well as the pre-FBW (fly-by-wire) Airbuses, i.e. A300s and A310s.

**Daniel**: I think that Lufthansa has engaged Alitalia and CSA, with their Swiss allies. Emma and Yvan will be instrumental in the "Battle of the Americas", but the numbers of all airlines involved are large enough to take SkyTeam's European fleets head-on. We won't claim victory against SkyTeam in the Americas without them, since Aéroméxico, Continental and Delta have Air Canada, United, American and US Airways completely outnumbered. Even if Qantas and Air New Zealand moved all its pilots in flying condition to Los Angeles, that is still not enough. How will the non-algned airlines react to this will decide the issue of this battle. If most of them think SkyTeam is the one enemy to defeat, they wil massively fly to support OneWorld and Star Alliance.

Within the hallowed walls of the airport terminal, Emma and Yvan are in the departures area, along with the few competitors who braved the entry conditions. The finalists of the Montreal leg will then be eligible for the world finals in Hanoi. So they use this opportunity to get to see the world. Though the Vans Math Contest suits pre-calculus and calculus-level math best, participation was not restricted to pre-calculus students.

**Emma**: Yvan, I thnk that I entered this contest not because I wanted to get myself away from leading Singapore/Japan Airlines units in battle in the network, but because of you.

**Yvam**: I came to the contest because I might have a chance to win a pair of shoes.

**Diem**: Emma, first question for you: suppose that (0.5(x2)/1-x2) / ((1/1+x)+(1/1-x)). What's the resulting answer of this chain of algebric operations?

**Emma**: 1/x.

**Diem**: Correct. Yvan, this is your turn now. Here's the problem: an ice cream cup's edge is modelised as being y 2.25 cosine 2/3(x-5) + 13. The base can be slit in two equal parts and give a square-root function on one of its side, its equation being y -2((x-5)/3)0.5 + 4 and the distance between the base and the edge of the cup itself is 12.61 cm. How wide is the base?

**Yvan**: Darn! I failed this exact question in my end-of-year exam!

**Emma**: Yvan! Don't stay behind the check-in counter frozen like this!

**Yvan**: 2.78 cm wide...

**Diem**: Correct. You can go out of the check-in counter now.


	7. Chapter 7: Operation Winback

**Chapter 7: Operation Winback**

The final round begins, down to five. They already know they won a pair of shoes, since the top ten won pairs of shoes even if they were eliminated afterwards.

**Emma**: Let's do this! FOR VATSIM!

**Jean-François**: VATSIM?

**Yvan**: We decided to dedicate our paricipation to the upper rounds to our role in the conflict ravaging VATSIM.

**Jean-François**: What are your respective roles in this online conflict?

**Emma**: I'm the Singapore Airlines fleet commander and the top lady pilot of both OneWorld and Star Alliance put together.

**Yvan**: I'm the Japan Airlines fleet commander and an intermediate widebody ace pilot, recording 99 kills as of today without being shot down.

**Emma**: 99 kills? I recorded 100 as of today; I was logged in for longer than you.

However, in the Europe segment of the battle, Mika and Hannes lead the attack into Moscow airports. They find that the airports are deserted, they make them land all and they unload all passengers.

**Mika**: To the control tower!

His copilot grabs a rope strong enough for two people and their flags to get up without crumbling back to the ground. When on top of Sheremetyevo's flag-staff, which is at the summit of the control tower, they change the SkyTeam flag for an OneWorld one.

**Hannes**: Moscow has been captured!

However, CSA aicraft push into Budapest-Ferihegy in an attempt at capturing the airport. Though Aeroflot surrenders, Malév is nearing defeat, there is only a 767-200 against the bulk of the Airbuses CSA fields. The Malév 767-200 swerves to avoid enemy shots and take out A319s/A320s, but its own maneuvers made him go in an uncontrolled stall and crash near runway 31R.

**Havesi**: You have the control of Budapest Ferihegy now that I surrender and the airline with me.

The current airline casualties count is as follows: SkyTeam 1, OneWorld/Star Alliance 3. Korean Air, Aeroflot and Northwest surrendered, but Malév did so also. North America-based fleeters don't know how the tides of battle flow in European airspace, but if they do nothing, the casualties will only mount. Let's go back to St. Hubert Airport's check-in counters.

**Emma**: Yvan! We're the last ones standing. Whoever of us gets it wrong, is second.

**Yvan**: Whoever wins, gets to recapture Ferihegy from the hands of CSA.

**Emma**: Wait a minute. CSA is surrounded by enemies: Austrian, LOT, Finnair, Lufthansa...

**Yvan**: Please don't wager on our victory! That is obvious that it's either of us. The most important is that whoever wins, we must respect the one that didn't.

**Diem**: Here's the ultimate question for you Emma: what is the limit of the following equation: (x2-3/2x-1)/(x-2)?

**Emma**: 2.5

**Diem**: For you Yvan, here's your last question: is there a limit to f(x) sine(pi/x), a0?

**Yvan**: No, since numbers change up and down faster and faster as we approach a.

We then see the duet answer correctly all 25 tie-breaker questions and call it a truce to the referee, after an exhausting day at the check-in counter.

**Emma**: We decided, on a common accord, that we are equally good.

**Yvan**: I second that. We call it a draw.

**Diem**: Really? That's the oddest demonstration of sportsmanship since I began refereeing math contests (and working at the check-in counters). You're aware that there is only one way to break the tie: a coin toss. This holds true for all podium positions: gold, silver and bronze medals.

The coin toss was decided that if it was heads, Emma won and tails, Yvan won the gold medal. For some reason, the coin stayed upright... but it had to fall somehow. It fell on the tails, so Yvan walked away victorious. As both Emma and Yvan get out of the departures area of St. Hubert International, they take the next bus but they have to part ways before either bus leaves.

**Emma**: Let's return to our respective areas. From there we can log in to VATSIM and begin the final battle. Airlines have already fallen, if you don't want Singapore Airlines or Japan Airlines to suffer Korean Air's fate... Do you respect me even if you won today?

**Yvan** **(with a passionate tone)** : I'll always regard you as a girl with an extreme talent in math.

**Emma**: Me too.

Real-world airlines that are part of an alliance are regarded, in VATSIM, as a faction of said alliance, even some of them they actally are fragmented into many smaller virtual airlines based on the same real-world counterpart with different proceedings/rosters. The JAL group is actually made up of two virtual airlines, one independent, the other one is part of a massive VA empire whose management decided not to take any side since their largest components fight each other. Either way, JAL-VA's management has planned to get all JAL-callsigned pilots in Seattle.

**Mika**: Our Malév allies need our help.

**Hannes**: Where to?

**Mika**: Take off from were you are. Since you are on UNICOM, you should be able to follow everyone in play. Plan to arrive into LHBP.

In the virtual KSEA (Seattle-Tacoma Airport), the largest gathering of JAL aircraft in one airport ever recorded in the network is about to begin (even surpassing the time where a fleet of JAL aircraft took off from Denver). It is expected to be surpassed only by real-world major Japanese airports on rush hours (any real-world JAL hub, that is). Aware that United and Air Canada crews are also entrenched in that airport, Yvan will have to proceed with care with his fleet.

**Yvan**: All right, Japan Airlines pilots, the Moment of Truth is here. It is time for our final battle! Everyone log in!

All avaible JAL pilots entered the network, with parking slots decided in advance. However, knowing that Singapore Changi (or the following list of airports for that matter)

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi  
Sydney Kingsford Smith  
Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok  
Auckland International  
Tokyo Narita/Haneda  
Osaka Itami/Kansai

is safe, Emma decided to move her fleet of Boeing widebodies (747 and 777) to Düsseldorf (EDDL) so much as to fight KLM and Air France head-on. Since Korean Air and Northwest surrendered, there was no need to fight in the Far East.

**Yvan**: Everyone activate your TCAS.

**Takahiro**: Hang on, I'm setting my MCP up.

**Yvan**: What special effect does your ECM have?

**Takuya**: It makes enemy planes lose control of their FADECs.

**Izumi**: Hold on, this fight can last more than twelve hours. What if we run out of ammo?

**Keisuke**: Just land in any non-hostile airport that can refuel and reload aircraft.

**Hideyuki**: Come on, Yvan, let's do this!

**Shai**: Yeah, my mom said I have to be at bed at 1400Z.

**Satoshi**: We can really stick to these war-mongers!

**Kaoru**: Auf wiederzen, SkyTeam!

**Trond**: Who will take Portland (KPDX) and who will go straight to Salt Lake (KSLC) ?

**Freddy**: Let's go get them!

**Yvan**: Japanair 642, get yourself two wingmen to capture Portland, I'll go for Salt Lake with the main group.

That massive battlefield is not to make VATSIM headquarters happy, on the contrary, the VATSIM Board of Governors is tracking, over multiple radar-type screens, the evolution of the battle. While David looks out at the windows, Orest is angry that the special weapon they entrusted to a Finnish pilot isn't used yet.

**Orest**: The Supervisors tell us that Ferihegy has been captured.

**Wycliffe (wearing a T-Shirt with his position and VATSIM-UK logos on it)**: We ran the numbers, even with the aid of LOT and Austrian, they have a 90 failure probability. They'd be flying through a slaughter!

VATSIM has a much dfferent layout of airline flights, compared to what happens in real life. Airlines like Japan Airlines and Korean Air, in VATSIM, weren't flown much online until hostilities broke out between the virtual counterparts of SkyTeam and OneWorld, though they're among the largest airlines in the real world. However, the top four callsigns used online are American, Continental, Speedbird, and Delta. United is often in the top 10 but almost never higher than 5th. Even with the free-lance JAL-flying pilots, usually JAL, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines and other such airlines would deserve a better online fate (i.e. there is rarely more than three JAL or Korean Air-flying pilots at any given time while Continental, American or Delta can go up to 30 in peak periods). 80-90 of all flights are flown in North America and Europe while the rest of the world get the remaining 10-20.

**Yvan**: When the attack begins, all aircraft turn its lights off.

**Takuya**: They're targeting us!

**Yvan**: Open your TCAS screens, prepare to charge, lock on to Delta aircraft and... RIGHT-CLICK!

Near Salt Lake, though, Delta hadn't even prepared its pilots for battle that they already lost 737s and 767s. However, an enemy "ace" pilot took off in time to meet the JAL pilots that exhausted its big ammunition before the rest of it could take off. That pilot has recorded 100 kills of neutral and enemy aircraft too, as of today. He has invited some of his friends in his real rumpus room where he pilots his aircraft.

**Cedric**: I think I found my match here! Japanair 10, this is your end!

**Yvan**: All units divert to Denver!

However, after rough battling, both pilots exhuasted its missile ammunition, then its autocannon rounds. But neither got anywhere close to Salt Lake City itself or its airport, they just kept on battling over the Wasatch VOR, the Great Salt Lake and Snowbasin. Over Düsseldorf, Singapore Airlines fleets held their positions against KLM aircraft.

**Yvan**: Target the lead 747-400! It must NOT return to Amsterdam!

The lead 747-400 was fired hard by a couple of missiles, their combined effect made it explode at 3,500 ft, with debris entering both sides' aircraft components, such as engines, landing gear wells, etc.

**Ricour**: That's for you Star Alliance fleeters, having engaged KLM aircraft at point-blank range!

However, pilots flying out of Düsseldorf contact the Virtual OneWorld _and_ Virtual Star Alliance headquarters after shocking news came to them as new aircraft spring up on their TCAS, too many to just be pilots at the gate after their crashes.

**Yvan**: Virtual OneWorld here.

**Mortimer**: OneWorld HQ, this is Speedbird 95. I report that IVAO-based pilots suddenly jumped in VATSIM in order to reverse the situation. KLM aircraft appeared out of nowhere along with Air France and Alitalia-callsigned pilots.

**Yvan**: Troubling news...


End file.
